Recompense
by Feather Painter
Summary: Slight AU. They were able to see it—their deliverer. Among all of them, that boy was the most dangerous. See that one who smiles so convincingly and displays the perfect manners of a prince? If you look deeper, deeper, you'll see it. You'll see that disgustingly beautiful, powerful, perfect black.


A/N: I'm not too proud of my writing at the moment but I really wanted to get the prologue in since I've been working on it for a few days. I think I could have made it better, but I'm really tired after all the final projects at school and my brain isn't up to giving it 100%.

So I did my fair share of research because it's been bothering me A LOT—what the proper name for Hakuryuu's weapon is. It is not a naginata, folks! Sorry for calling it that in my one-shot. After much searching and learning about different pole arms and weapons, I finally arrived to the conclusion that it's a glaive and his djinn equip turns it into a double-ended spear. Also, I think Al-Thamen literally means "The Organization".

Disclaimer: I do not own Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic.

I will include certain excerpts from the Quran because I found some things really fitting (and also it's Arabic), but if it offends anyone, let me know and I'll take it down or find some other quote to use. Also, many scenes and much dialogue are taken straight from the manga. This is because it isn't too much of an AU story.

If you read this and enjoy it, please tell me about it in a review! They are literally what drives me to continue to write when I get down in the dumps or when I hit writer's block.

**Recommended Listening:** Return of the She-King by Dead Can Dance, Morning Raj by Ben Jelen, and The Writing on My Father's Hand by Dead Can Dance.

Warning: The prologue is intense because Hakuryuu's past is intense.

* * *

_Undoubtedly, there has come to you the news of a calamity that shall overspread. _

_Many faces on that day shall be cast down._

_Toiling, labouring hard;_

_They shall enter a blazing fire;_

_They are made to drink of a spring fiercely boiling._

_They will have no food, but fire thorns_

_Which will neither fatten nor avail against hunger._

_..._

_Many faces on that day are in pleasure._

_Pleased with their endeavour_

_In a lofty garden._

_- _Surah Al-Gashiya (The Overwhelming Calamity, The Overshadowing Event, or The Enveloper)

* * *

**Recompense**: In the Beginning

* * *

Hands clenched as he curled tighter into himself, trying his best not to cry harder than he already was—he tried his best, he really did, even if it was a losing battle. He tried not to blame himself. It was only a year after the revolt had happened, after all. However, the suppressed spasms sent pain into his abdomen and throat but he didn't care about that. No, he was terrified, utterly _horrified_ at the thought that someone could possibly come check up on him and find him in this… in this pathetic state, in this recurring episode. It never failed to remind him of how weak he was. Still a little boy. _Still_ not worthy of being acknowledged as his cousins' and sister's equal.

Each time it happened, he felt something tear a bit. Each time it happened, he alleviated his fear with the comforting reassurance of his goal. And now, that goal had somehow taken over and encompassed everything he was. In a way, it was his last beacon of hope—what gave him energy and drove him.

This was a wrong, weak state of being. And yet, it was the only thing remaining that was able to make him come alive and send electricity through his veins. The prospect of achieving it and _making something of himself_ was glorious. It was the answer to his prayers!

And maybe he was just trying to cope with the overwhelming emotions and trauma.

Nonetheless, he had to admit it was rather fitting that she be ultimately broken and stripped of her sanity and dignity before her death.

The boy's rukh hummed within him in acceptance and something else—a strange sort of eagerness where torture was concerned while simultaneously comforting him.

And Hakuryuu smiled in contentment amidst the tears.

* * *

_A little boy was crying by himself as his mother gently came close and kneeled down so she could be at eye-level with him, so she could connect better with him._

_"Mother…" the boy sniffled and wiped his tears with the back of his hand, but the woman kept her loving and patient eyes on him. "I had a frightening nightmare… My father, my brothers, and even Mother! Everyone was killed by the remnants of an enemy country… Only my sister and I survived,"he admitted between hiccups and several more fearful tears._

_"Oh little Haku," his mother brought him closer and, as if enveloping him with reassurance, smiled and tried cheering him up with a lighter tone of voice._

_"Hakuryuu, everything's alright. Let me tell you a "truth", okay?"_

_"Truth?" His attention had been caught now, even if it was just an attempt to rid his thoughts of those terrible memories._

_"That's right! Your father did an incredible thing. He saved the people of three countries that were suffering in war, so don't worry! No one would intend to kill him, your brothers, or me now. Everything is fine," she spoke with a cheerful and comforting voice and the boy hesitantly looked up at her._

_"…Really?" It was almost too good to be true for him, but it was a relief he really wanted at the moment._

_"Really! Come on, let's go, Hakuryuu." With bright eyes, the loving mother pointed towards the large, golden doors as they opened to reveal the back of the current emperor and his father, Ren Hakutoku. The boy looked on with wonder and admiration as the citizens down below cheered for him._

_"LONG LIVE KING KOU! LONG LIVE THE KOU EMPIRE!" The voices rose in unity and resounded throughout the giant expanse of land surrounded by the castle's compound._

_"You see?" The mother turned to the boy and smiled._

_"Yes!" He grinned as he felt his heart lighten up greatly as all the worries and fears were swept away by the comfort of his father's protection and his mother's love._

* * *

"Big brother, guess what I made!" A small child eagerly ran up to his elder brother and thrust his arms forward, proudly presenting the messy and beautiful crown of flowers he had put together for the first time ever after his mother had taught him a while ago.

Hakuren gasped animatedly and grinned as he grabbed hold of the small boy and placed him upon his shoulders. "Wow, that's really neat, Haku! Let's go show Hakuyuu, shall we? Or do you want to give it to sister?" He clutched the boy's ankles so he wouldn't slip off his shoulders and flinched a bit as the boy grabbed hold of clumps of his black hair to hang on to. He didn't mind it one bit however, and proceeded to walk across the garden in the large courtyard—built somewhat like a peristyle—towards the other end. A young man was standing in the shade of the columns and speaking amicably with two individuals who were complete strangers to Hakuryuu. Hakuren smiled as he felt the flower petals tickle his cheek from the way his little brother was holding them so close to his head.

"Hey Hakuyuu, look at this," the young man shouted with mirth and flicked his head backwards as he stepped in to the covered walkway and off of the stone pathway.

"Hey, watch it Brother! You're gonna crush my surprise!" an irate boy shouted and harrumphed as his expression reflected concern towards the crown of flowers as the elder brother moved his head.

Hakuyuu quirked an eyebrow upwards at his two younger brothers and rolled his eyes. "I'll speak with you two later. Seems I'm needed elsewhere." The two soldiers puffed their cheeks out in an attempt to suppress their laughter but one of them failed and let out some kind of half-snort half-chuckle, to which the other elbowed him in the ribs in playful warning.

"We shall converse with your highness at a later date. We wish you well," they chuckled and bowed before resuming their patrol.

"Now, what do we have here?" The eldest brother turned to face the two and his expression softened at the sight of his two happy brothers. 'This peace won't last long...' a darker part of his mind thought, and he regretfully knew it spoke the truth. 'But now's the time to dwell in the present!' He extended his arms and Hakuryuu quickly gave him the crown of flowers. Hakuren let down the child from his shoulders and placed him back on the ground.

"Do you like it? Do you like it?! I made it for you!" Hakuryuu grinned and almost jumped up and down from excitement. Finally, he was able to make something for his brother! Finally, he was able to provide someone with something—he greatly enjoyed the feeling of satisfaction it gave him.

"I do, it's very pretty. Did you make it all by yourself?" Hakuyuu spoke softly as he placed the fragile crown on his head and smiled softly at him.

"Well I guess I had _some_ help. But I swear I did it all by myself! But... mother showed me how to do it to!" the boy admitted, hoping his brother wouldn't take it the wrong way and think that Hakuryuu had stolen it from her or something like that. But he must have said something wrong, because the atmosphere suddenly thickened and his two elder brothers' smiles were now nonexistent as they traded undecipherable gazes. "Huh?" Had he said something wrong? Were they now mad at him? Tears began to tickle the edges of his eyes as he muttered, "Sorry if I got you mad, I didn't mean to..."

The two suddenly seemed to snap out of it and quickly shook their heads. "No no no, don't worry little brother! You did nothing wrong," Hakuren placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and Hakuyuu nodded in agreement. The little boy hesitantly brightened up at this and reluctantly smiled back.

"Now, who's hungry for some supper?" Hakuryuu ruffled the boy's hair, causing him to grumble and clutch at it. Hakuren chuckled and grabbed hold of his hand, leading him back inside the oriental castle with Hakuyuu leading in front.

"I am!" Hakuryuu replied and tried to walk quickly to keep up with their long strides.

"That's good. Unfortunately I won't be able to eat with you two. Hakuei should however. I'm afraid I have some business to attend to," Hakuyuu didn't need to turn around to know that his littlest brother was now disappointed yet again.

Hakuren however—his eyes hardened and his grip on Hakuryuu unconsciously tightened. It was no secret that war was looming on the horizon with all the rumors buzzing around of an unknown organization biding its time in the shadows.

And the secret the two elder brothers shared frightened them terribly. No one would believe them and they would be killed as soon as they uttered a word—of that Hakuren was certain.

It was their duty to protect the Kou Empire, but there was so much more to it—many dark and traitorous secrets that had no permission being discovered by Hakuryuu at his current age.

And so, the eldest prince went his own way with saddened eyes, unable to face Hakuryuu's disappointment yet again. He reached up, took off the crown of flowers, and gazed at it for several long moments. 'No. It does not matter who taught him to weave it. This is from Hakuryuu, not from that woman.' He placed it in one of his inner pockets and decided that he would keep it even after the flowers died. It was the symbol that he hung on to, the symbol of innocence he wanted to hang on to for as long as he could until Hakuryuu was also inevitably absorbed into the dark world of politics and monarchy.

His thoughts became filled with plans, actions, anxieties, and situations the Kou Empire was facing. Several divisions of his and Hakuren's army had been wiped out in their attempt at expanding the borders and it was only a matter of time until they were attacked directly. However, Ren Hakutoku was a good king. He wasn't too worried as long as he was ruling the land.

As he opened two golden doors into yet another hallway lined with tall windows, Hakuyuu grew tense and stopped.

"Is there something I can help you with?" His voice held an edge to it as he stood his ground and kept his shoulders relaxed. Even though Judal was a magi—an individual of extremely high caliber—in Hakuyuu's eyes he was still only just a child a few years older than Hakuryuu.

The prince turned around and kept his gaze fixed down on the boy. Something unpleasant was bothering him, it was a sort of gut-feeling accompanied by unwilling acceptance. He had felt something like it before, after waking up from nightmares about fire and screaming and pain—dreams that would usually occur after exceptionally long nights of training, studying, or other significantly stressful events. But those were just dreams, so the strange feeling had never bothered him as much as it did now. Indeed it was unsettling and filled him with dread, but he buried it and kept it all to himself. His mask of indifference and attentiveness held true no matter what emotions swirled beneath it. Of this he would make sure. "Oh, nothin' much," the red-eyed boy replied as he stood relaxed behind Hakuyuu.

"Then why did you seek me out?" His dark blue eyes kept contact with Judal's smiling, crimson ones as the boy shook his head, turned around, and started walking back to the door Hakuyuu just entered from.

"Just... watching, I guess. Wanted to see how the busy prince was doing. Greet Hakuren and Hakuryuu for me at their supper, will ya?" He gave a wave before opening the door and exiting the large hallway—jewelry and bangles were resounding with his steps—leaving Hakuyuu alone to his steadily rising anxiety.

And so the passing of several hours found Hakuryuu and Hakuren eating supper in one of many ornate rooms in the palace. Two guards stood inside and outside the doors as the two brothers laughed and ate together.

They basked in one another's presence and Hakuren greatly treasured moments like these, free of responsibility and worry.

* * *

Fiery eyes pierced the darkness of the quiet night as Judal watched the horizon from one of the high balconies.

Steadily, ever so steadily, a dark and low cloud ascended from the horizon and came closer, closer, closer—

Closer.

His emotions rose and elation bloomed in his chest. Arms spread out and he could_ feel_ the burning passion and chaos looming ahead with many promises of death and rebirth. He could sense the black rukh around him humming and storming in anticipation and laughed.

It was exhilarating.

* * *

'A division must be marching by the castle. But at this time?' Hakuren thought as his ears caught distant rumbling that was steadily getting louder. It permeated the walls but was subdued enough to not cause much worry.

The distant shouting, however, caused him to freeze up and put down his food.

"Okay I'm full now, brother! Where are big sister and mother?" The dark-eyed boy patted his belly and wondered aloud, hoping Hakuren knew so he could go tell his mother of the present he had given Hakuyuu earlier that day. 'Hopefully she'll be proud that I used something she taught me,' he thought with hopefulness.

"Hm, I'm not sure. They're certainly very busy though, so I don't think tonight's the right time to go see th— GET DOWN!" Hakuren screamed and jumped over Hakuryuu just as the windows exploded from the sudden onslaught of flames. The previously muffled sounds now increased tenfold with the newly-made openings of broken glass, enveloping them in a sea of roaring and weapons clashing and burning air. Suddenly, everything was clanging and the noise was deafening. Surrounding them was the air that was quickly becoming hotter and the flames that were rapidly eating through the walls and ceiling. Spiraling, spinning, roaring was the tumult of revolt and fire and screaming.

As fast as he could and even faster, Hakuyuu ran and burst through doors and hallways, desperately trying to get to his two brothers. He choked on the smoke and his garments quickly became soaked with sweat and singed at the corners by stray flames. Soldiers were loyally fighting all around him against those he thought were loyal and others he recognized, and the enemy... the enemy...

With deep dread, he felt like the castle was only an insect who had just been caught in a spider's web.

But no, he was the eldest! He was next in line to the throne, damn it! Failure was _not_ an option. Hakuyuu, with a heart beating painfully fast, grit his teeth and squinted his tear-stained eyes as he continued to run through the heavy smoke and creaking wood until finally, _finally!_ he slammed open the door he knew his two brothers were in and immediately started searching for them through the smoke.

"Hakuryuu! H-Hakuren!" His hoarse voice did not betray his desperation. He quickly looked and walked through the smoke until he heard it—voices. Suddenly he was grabbed by the arm, but before he could throw down his assaulter, Hakuren shouted at him.

"It's me! It's me, are you—" he let out a deep cough that left Hakuyuu frightened and desperate to leave.

"Where's Hakuryuu?! Here?" He urgently asked before looking down and seeing the little boy clutching Hakuren's pants and crying while looking at Hakuyuu with fear in his eyes.

"Brother! Are Hakuei and Mother alright...?! They couldn't have... Shouldn't we go help them?"

.

_And slowly, steadily, the fear began to rise to a dangerous degree._

_._

The two elder brothers wasted no time. Hakuren grabbed hold of Hakuryuu's hand and the three of them ran out of the room in search of where the smoke was thinnest and the nearest exit. An ominous groan resounded right before a pillar collapsed under the weight of the burned ceiling and flames, causing the ground to quake underneath their feet. The three brothers continued to run—Hakuryuu growing more frantic by the second—before they reached a room and still kept on running—

But they were blocked. Hakuyuu narrowed his eyes at the familiarity of their garments. "S-stay behind us, little brother." His voice was stern but broken by panting. Flames were eating at the wall behind them and members of Al-Thamen were in front of them. With dread heavy in his mind, he knew they were surrounded and had only one way of escaping. Even though he and his brother had been trained from a young age and were confident in their abilities to fight and kill, their dwindling energy and burning lungs and throat prevented them from being fully prepared.

And yet, both Hakuyuu and Hakuren's gazes remained angry and vengeful as the enemy quickly advanced. The two drew their swords with shaking hands and swiped at the weaker beings who turned into strange matryoshka dolls upon their death. Despite how difficult it was, despite their whole bodies complaining against them and their muscles shaking with exhaustion and strain, the two brothers still stood in front of Hakuryuu and protected him with their lives. Desperation and love drove them even if their bodies couldn't handle it.

Even as yet another enemy charged upon them, Hakuyuu thought, 'I can cannot die. I cannot let them have their way,' because giving up at this point was the worst dishonor he could cast upon himself.

But as they got caught up in the flurry of battle, they didn't notice Hakuryuu's steadily rising cries and whimpers. While they devoted what little attention they could muster towards the immediate threat, the flames crawled closer and closer until the fire was all around them and burning away what little air they had left.

Hakuyuu's arms shook heavily with pain as he struck down another Al-Thamen member, but due to exhaustion he didn't notice the blade poised to strike behind him.

"BROTHER!" Hakuren shouted with a cracked and hoarse voice as he, despite the flames starting to burn his right leg, put all his remaining energy into jumping in front of the blade. He was tired, so tired, and couldn't even lift his arms to parry the blade because of the overwhelming burning in his lungs. 'Damn you, Gyokuen, damn you to hell...' The prince could barely hear the anguished shouts of his two brothers before collapsing to the ground, chest pierced with the enemy's sword and the sting of betrayal and copper on his tongue.

"I'm so sorry. So sorry..." _'For not being able to protect you—'_

The fire was unmerciful. It was no longer slowly crawling towards them. Now, it surrounded them in a blanket of smoldering ash and smoke and singed their throat and lungs. It was a monstrous, thriving entity promising a painful death.

Hakuyuu fought purely on his will to protect until there were only bodies scattered around, and only then did he allow himself to collapse on the floor in a bloody and burned heap. Despite the victory, he felt severely ashamed. For them to be reduced to this... his eyes painfully went to his little brother and he felt sorrow cement into his heart. Even more so at the sight of the burn wound on Hakuryuu's left eye. Even his cornea appeared to have been burned, but he was very thankful it wasn't worse and that he hadn't been blinded completely.

And as his tattered and burned clothes fell off from his charred body, he was sure he had never felt as much grief, exhaustion, and pain as he did now. He was still in shock could not yet mourn for Hakuren since his mind was still trying to process everything despite the blinding pain and fogginess.

"Wah, so hot! MOTHER! MOTHER!" At this point, the little boy had shut off his attention to his surroundings and closed his eyes in his wailing towards his mother. All he cared about now was getting his brothers and himself to safety and his mother coming to save them. He didn't get it, why wasn't she saving them? Father and her were being so late!

And then, regretfully, Hakuyuu knew he had nothing left, only to pass on his spirit to his last remaining brother. He was sorry, so sorry... As the eldest collapsed, Hakuryuu didn't, couldn't, wouldn't understand it all. All he knew was that he was scared and hurt and he wanted everyone to be safe. That's all he wanted.

"BROTHER! BROTHER!" 'No no no no...' He kept repeating the mantra in his mind like a broken record as he looked at his two brothers on the floor, bloodied and mangled.

.

_That was when it began creeping up on him._

.

"...T-this is a shame..." It hurt, it hurt to move, to breathe, to look, it all hurt very much to the point where his mind was struggling to even process the pain input. But he had to keep on living until the very end. Everything depended on it, so he struggled to fix his eyes on the remaining hope his empire had. "This is the end for me and Hakuren... But you, Hakuryuu, you will live and accomplish our mission."

There was the truth, laid bare in front of them as the boy listened with horrified and rapt attention. The flames were now licking the man's back and head, but still, just a few seconds more...

"Swear to fight until the end! You have to strike down our country's worst enemy!" He croaked, eyes burning into Hakuryuu's gaze and desperation clinging to the both of them.

But the boy didn't understand. Hadn't his mother said they didn't have any more enemies? "W-wor... Worst enemy!? What are you talking about, Brother!? And why do even the soldiers of our own country want to kill us...? Who... who would do such a cruel thing!?" He screamed out and cried because it hurt to think and yet he NEEDED to know this, for the sake of his brothers!

With a shuddering breath, Hakuyuu released the burden of secrecy between them for the sake of his little brother's life. In the final moments they had together, he sincerely hoped Hakuryuu wouldn't forever hate him for being the one who disclosed this. "The one who has stolen the Kou Empire and... the one who wants to kill us is Ren Gyouken!"

"...Eh?"

And just like that, his world shattered, piercing his mind and shaking his foundations.

However it was just...! "Impossible, Brother! It can't be!" All that love, all along... it was just simply impossible and his brother had to be wrong and delirious from pain! Because it was just impossible, Mother loved him, she said so herself every morning and night when he went to sleep and woke up!

His doubts were violently ripped away as the warm liquid that followed a strange squishing sound splashed onto him and soaked into his clothes, skin, and hair. At that moment, there were no words left to describe the chaos in his mind.

"Run outside... this will protect you... go before the fire burns you!"

The little boy, now near hyperventilation, gasped and stumbled up before shakily backing up towards the door and now oblivious and uncaring towards the fire. Hakuyuu's final gasping words provided the motivation needed for Hakuryuu to finally give into his survival instincts and run away, run until safety was reached.

_"Swear that you will fight until you've competed your mission! You will do it... you will do it... only you can! My brother..."_

He ran and ran with those words seeping into his mind. The memory of the overwhelming scent and feeling of being soaked with blood for the sake of not getting burned... it was so painfully vivid. The droplets of the symbol of Hakuyuu's protection trailed behind him and streamed down his face to mix with the salty tears.

'This is what happens in nightmares, surely it's all just a nightmare and I'll wake up to Mother's embrace like always! It's— it's not...

It's true? It was true? Everything big Brother said? I don't want to believe it! Why does Mother have to do this? Oh no, and where's Father? Why did she have do this?

Oh no. She... She killed them, right? She ki– she made my brothers go away... forever, right? Didn't she? DIDN'T SHE? HE SAID SO DIDN'T HE?! BIG BROTHER SAID IT, HER NAME. I... I—

I hate her! I HATE HER. HATE, HATE, HATE HER! I'll k-ki- I'll kil-' He was shivering violently from the adrenaline and pain but still he did not stop running through the hallways in search of an exit. The fire was there, always there all around and Hakuryuu knew that there was only one other thing he would always hate as much as _her_, now and forever—fire.

.

_And there it was and had arrived. Or rather, it had been birthed from a human's limits, beginning to fester like a worm digging its way into the ground in its return home._

.

'I'LL KILL HER!'

He ran and ran and ran—

As a black magi stood upon the roof of the castle and laughed, living vicariously through the chaos and witnessing, in fascination and curiosity, the birth of his king.

There were a lot of things that would remain imbedded in Hakuryuu's mind forever, but sanity... it was not one of them.


End file.
